Hacking the Food System In the Public Interest

It’s hard to say which is more difficult (or maddening) to comprehend, the bedeviling political farm bill process in Congress, or the proposed changes in the farm bill itself. It’s all so wonky, but it’s such an important piece of federal legislation. Why? Literally, the farm bill is the largest single driving force behind our existing food system. Major changes to this bill could produce major changes to the cost, and availability of the everyday foods we eat. The farm bill also provides funding for federal nutrition programs, and food aid (SNAP) to the poor.

So, how does one make this vital piece of reoccurring legislation more palatable to the general public to promote better citizen engagement around this bill?

In conjunction with International Open Data, Food + Tech Connect, a company founded by two journalists, and Gojee are hosting a wiki-based “Farm Bill Hackathon” on December 3, 2011. Their stated purpose is to bring together “journalists, technologists, designers, policy makers, and food data specialists to develop tools and visualizations that will help the public better understand how the Farm Bill impacts our lives.”